Support for bath sprays



Maich 2, 1937. w. c. SCHNEIDER 2,072,345

Filed April 8, 1936 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 SUPPORT FOR BATH SPRAYS ,Wilfred C. Schneider, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The Seamless Rubber Company, Inc., New Haven, Oonm, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 8, 1936, Serial No. 73,327

This invention relates to supports for bath sprays, and more particularly to a device which may be supported upon the wall or other supporting member to support the flexible tubular portion of the usual bath spray adjacent the spray head so that the spray may be converted into a shower bath.

Where a shower bath is not available, it is more or less customary to employ what is termed a bath spray. This bath sprayordinarily consists of a flexible rubber tube or hose having means at one end adapted to be connected with a faucet, and a spray nozzle at the other end. This spray nozzle is similar to the spray nozzle of a shower bath, and to convert the bath spray into a shower bath it is only necessary that it be supported in proper position upon the wall or similar support adjacent the bath tub so that it will deliver the shower of water therefrom in the proper direction.

One object of the present invention is to provide a support for a bath spray of the character described, which may be manufactured and sold at a low price, and which at the same time will be eflicient in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relatively cheap and inexpensive support for a bath spray of such a character that it may be readily and detachably secured to the surface of the wall or the like without the use of any fastening elements and without marring the surface of the support to which it is secured.

A still further object of the invention is the' provision of aninexpensive and efficient support for bath sprays such that it may be readily attached to a wall or support in desired adjusted positions without the use of any fastening elements, whereby it can be readily moved from one position to another, as will suit the convenience of the person using it. i

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a support for bath sprays which may be made entirely of rubber, and which will be provided with suitable means to grip or clamp the spray tube and hold the spray nozzle in proper position, and at the same time be provided with means in the form of a vacuum cup by which the device may be secured to the surface of a wall or other support and thus hold the spray nozzle in the proper position.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my device invention and one method of using the same,

shown in positionupon the wall of a bathroom wherein its supports the spray nozzle of a bath spray;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device; 5

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the spray support; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my 10 I have shown more or less diagrammatically in Fig. 1 a bath tub Ill above which is the usual water delivery nozzle or faucet II. To the outlet of the faucet is secured one end l2 of the tube I3 of a bath spray, a spray head l4 being provided at the other end of the tube. As shown in this figure, the spray head is supported by my improved supporting device, designated generally by the reference character I5, which is secured upon the surface of the wall 25 above the tube. It will be apparent that, as will be more fully described hereinafter, the support I5 is designed to receive and grip the tube [3 at a point adjacent the spray nozzle [4, so that the latter will be supported in a proper position.

As shown in Figs..2, 3 and 4, my support comprises a body portion or supporting element l8 which may, and preferably is, made of solid rubher. The element I6 is somewhat elongated and of post or column-like form, and may, of course, be made in any desired dimensions. At the lower end of the body'portion there is provided a flexible skirt portion ll of cup shape, which serves as a vacuum cup to secure the supporting device It to a surface of a wall or the like in a well known manner. The skirt portion I1 is preferably also of rubber and may be formed integrally with the body portion l6. While this latter portion is relatively rigid, it is, nevertheless, made of relatively soft rubber, so that it will be flexible to some extent, although, of course, relatively rigid as compared to the thinner skirt portion l'l. Also, this skirt portion may taper in thickness from a point adjacent the lower end of the element I6 toward its peripheral edge l8, so as to be provided with a relatively thin edge.

The supporting member I6 is provided with means to receive and retain the tube l3, whereby it will support the spray head M. For this purpose, the element I6 is provided with a bore or passageway I9, shown more especially in Fig, 2, This bore is of substantially thesame diameter as the tube l3, which is adapted to be received therein, but may be slightly smaller. so that the tube may be gripped by the wall of the bore, as

will be explained hereinafter, and be held firmly in position- At its ends this passageway l 8 is provided .with openings 20 and 2|, which extend through the wall of the element l6 for the accommodation of the tube l3. One of the openings 20 is preferably formed adjacent the skirt portion l1, and opens through the side wall of the element I 6. The other opening 2| is adjacent the free end of the element l6 and preferably opens partly through the top and partly through the side of the element It, so that the mouth of the opening is directed in an inclined position.

Between the openings 20 and 2|, the wall of the element I6 is split, as shown at 22, this split extending inwardly to the passageway l 9 so as to provide free tongues or flaps '23 and 24 upon each side of the split or slot 22.

From this construction it will be apparent that the tube I! may readily be inserted in the pas- .sageway IS without the removal therefrom oi the spray head l4. That is, it is not necessary to thread the tube longitudinally through the openings 20 and 2|, but, on theother hand, the flaps 23 and 24 may be sprung apart due to the resiliency of the material of which the element I6 is made, and the tube l3 inserted laterally between these flaps when in distended position until it is seated within the passageway IS. The flaps will then close due to their inherent resiliency, and the tube will be gripped between the inner surfaces of the flaps and the periphery of the passageway, I! so that it will be held firmly in position. I

At the same time the tube l3 maybe drawn longitudinally through the passageway I! after it is seated therein, in order that the spray nozzle may be adjusted to a proper position and so that it will stand at the desired angle. That is, while the tube l3 will be held in the supporting element It so firmly that there will be no danger of any accidental displacement, it may be adjusted 1ongitudinally of the supporting element by a relatively firm pull in one direction or the other.

It will be apparent that the supporting element may be secured by its vacuum cup to the wall or other support at any desiredplace, and in any desired position, and that it may be readily moved from one position to another as desired by the particular person using it at the time, as it can be readily attached and detached from its support, and as it is attached without the employment of any penetrating fastening elements such as nails or screws, so that it will not mar the supporting surface.

Moreover, the spray nozzle can be adjusted with respect to the supporting element l6 after the latter is in place so as to vary the angle ofthe delivery of bath water. Also, the supporting element may be secured upon the wall in any desired angle relatively to its longitudinal axis, so that the spray nozzle may be directed at various angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the support.

a generally longitudinal It will also be apparent that the device may be very readily and cheaply made, that it may be made entirely of rubber, and that with its use the ordinary spray nozzle may be converted by this inexpensive attachment into the ordinary shower bath. The passageway I 9 through the element It comprises a spring or snap socket into which the tube I! may be inserted laterally, and in which position the tube will be frictionally gripped and firmly held in place. As the device may be readily attached to and detached from the bath spray, the latter may, of course, be used with or without the attachment. That is, it may be used as a shower bath or as the ordinary bath spray, as desired, for, due to the resiliency of the material of which the device is made, the tube of the bath spray may be detached from the device by merely spreading apart the tongues or flaps 23 and 24 and drawing the tube out of the passageway it.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A support for bath sprays or the like comprising a supporting element provided with vacuum cup means by which it may be secured to a support, and said element being provided with means to embrace and hold the tube of a bath spray, said means comprising a passageway provided in the supporting element in which the tube is received, said passageway extending gen erally in line with the axis of said cup.

2. A support for bath sprays or the like comprising a supporting element provided with a vacuum cup by means of which it may be secured to a support, said element being provided with means to embrace and hold the tube of a bath spray, said means comprising a passageway provided in the supporting element in which the tube is received, said passageway extending generally in line with the axis of the cup but being longitudinally curved whereby the ends of said passageway are downwardly directed when the support is in operative position.

3. A supporting element for bath sprays comprising a post-like member having a vacuum cup formed at one end thereof, said member having passageway formed therein to receive the tube of the bath spray, said passageway opening at its ends through the wall of the member to permit the tube to extend therethrough and extending from the free end of the member to a point adjacent the cup, the wall of said member being split from one of said openings to the other to permit lateral insertion of the tube in said passageway, and resilient flaps upon each side of said split opening to resiliently grip the spray tube and hold it in place.

WILFRED C. SCHNEIDER. 

